Some items you may or may not have read…

Item #1- 90-year-old WWII Veteran is in a fight with his homeowner’s association. His crime? Flying the American flag. The homeowner’s association says he broke the rules and didn’t ask permission to put up the flagpole. Since when does an American, and a veteran on top of that, have to ask permission to fly our country’s flag? Political correctness strikes again.

Item #2- Al-Qaeda kills 8 times more Muslims than non-Muslims. Being politically incorrect, I like those stats and applaud Al-Qaeda. Keep up the great work boys.

Item #3- TARP Cash Targeted in Jobs Push. Dems trying to steal remaining funds for their schemes. That’s called double-dipping theft. The Dems robbed the taxpayers…lent the $ to the banks who turned around and pay the government back (our money) only to have the Dems to steal it again. That’s how steal, tax and spend liberals work. Crooks.

Item #4- Something that wasn’t reported by the alphabet-media. FAA is investigating what passengers say was a dry run for a terrorist attack. 11 Muslim men refuse to turn off cell phone. AirTran says it was a customer service misunderstanding. What’s the truth?

Item #5- Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke should be fired. He was an idiot under Bush and now he is the idiot under Obama. This idiot wants to cut Social Security benefits and Medicare. Where is the liberal outrage over this?

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Today’s market-moving headlines, macro trade ideas and more…

• Goldman sees Chinese earnings and shares surging in 2010
• Cast your fortunes with index funds
• Web retail a bright spot in tepid U.S. holiday season
• Goldman Sachs Sees ‘Rather Strong’ Growth in 2010-11
• Morgan Stanley raises UAL, AMR to overweight
• The Zweig Fund November Monthly Update
• The Zweig Total Return Fund November Monthly Update
• Housing Market Meltdown Not Over: Zandi
• BofA Cheer Boosts Futures
• Fears grow over US debt market
• General Growth files exit plan, reworks more debt
• U.S. chains miss sales views in weak holiday start
• Global trade disputes Trading blows
• Dave Rosenberg 12/3/2009 THE DOW IS BACK IN A BEAR MARKET
• Pensions Eliminating Stocks Add $40 Billion to Corporate Bonds
• Krugman Says He Plans to Sell Some Brazil Investments

The FAA published its new manufacturing regulations on October 16, 2009.  While most of the new manufacturing rules that affect PMA companies  do not become effective until April 2011, a few become effective in April 2010.   The FAA has announced a schedule for the Part 21 Training, in order to introduce the new regulation to the public.

MARPA also plans to host a FAA training at its 2010 Winter meeting (which is a members-only meeting).

FAA Training Schedule (open to the public)

December 7 – Laemmle Theater, 1332 2nd Street, Santa Monica, CA (9am – 12am)

December 8 – Laemmle Theater, 1332 2nd Street, Santa Monica, CA (9am – 12am)

December 9 – Laemmle Theater, 1332 2nd Street, Santa Monica, CA (9am – 12am)

December 10 – Harkins Theater, Arizona Mills Mall (I-10 and US-60), Phoenix, AZ (9am – 12a (9am – 12am)m)

December 11 – Harkins Theater, Arizona Mills Mall (I-10 and US-60), Phoenix, AZ (9am – 12am)

December 14 – Boeing Air Museum, Seattle, WA (1pm – 4pm)

December 15 – Boeing Air Museum, Seattle, WA (9am – 12am)

January 4 – Oklahoma City Marriott, Oklahoma City, OK (1pm – 4pm)

January 5 – Oklahoma City Marriott, Oklahoma City, OK (9am – 12am)

January 6 – Marriott Market Center, Dallas, TX (1pm – 4pm)

January 7 – Marriott Market Center, Dallas, TX (9am – 12am)

January 11 – Hilton Palacio del Rio, San Antonio, TX (1pm – 4pm)

January 12 – Hilton Palacio del Rio, San Antonio, TX (9am – 12am)

January 25 – Location TBA, Kansas City, MO (1pm – 4pm)

January 26 – Location TBA, Kansas City, MO (9am – 12am)

January 27 – Location TBA, Indianapolis, IN  (1pm – 4pm)

January 28 – Location TBA, Indianapolis, IN (9am – 12am)

February 8 – Location TBA, Atlanta, GA  (1pm – 4pm)

February 9 – Location TBA, Atlanta, GA (9am – 12am)

February 10 – Location TBA, Orlando, FL  (1pm – 4pm) **

February 11 – Location TBA, Orlando, FL (9am – 12am) **

February 22 – Location TBA, Windsor Locks, CT (time TBA) **

February 23 – Location TBA, Windsor Locks, CT (time TBA) **

February 24 – Location TBA, Philadelphia, PA (time TBA)

February 25 – Location TBA, Philadelphia, PA (time TBA)

The MIDOs have already invited all PAHs, but now these session are being opened to the public.  We were asked today to publicize these meetings to the entire MARPA community.  As you can see, each meeting is situated near a MIDO.  More information on each meeting can be obtained from the MIDO closest to the particular meeting.

** NOTE: The Orlando and Windsor Locks dates MAY be swapped because of scheduling difficulties.  Please contact the appropriate MIDOs as these dates get closer for information about whether these dates may have changed.

I am really pleased to hear that finally the DOT has fined airlines for tarmac delays. Three airlines were fined for overnight delays at Minnesota back in August. The DOT and FAA need to be very strict, they have set precedents with these fines. Not only do tarmac delays disturb the traffic flow at that airport, they also cause a ripple delay effect across the National Airspace System. Airlines must realize the importance of maintaining a tight schedule and some decorum along with it.

     Summertime often provides a steady stream of traffic. If you’re not struggling through rush hour traffic on the weekday, come late afternoon Friday, you’re finding yourself coping with congested roads filled with weekend tourists traveling to the mountains, the beaches, the lake or the quaint and once quiet hamlet that becomes inundated by antiquing city slickers. Yet as busy and as rough as things can be made by summertime fun and sun seekers, when the holidays come rolling around, that’s when you really start pulling your hair out.

No holiday provides for more traffic than Thanksgiving. All transportation organizations, from triple A to the National Highway Safety Administration and the FAA, all concede that the Thanksgiving holiday makes for the most heavily traveled day of the year. Everyone is rushing to make it home in time to be with friends and loved ones before the turkey hit’s the table.

Then when the turkey is done and the last piece of pumpkin pie has been wrapped up for a guest to take home with them, Black Friday hits.

Any roadway within five miles of any mall or shopping hub comes to an agonizing crawl as we all join in the traditional holiday gift shopping season. It isn’t disturbing enough that you had to mortgage the house to buy gifts for co-workers you really don’t like and find special presents for the strangers who are the guests of family members that will be spending Christmas with you, but now your are sitting in an hour long back up on the Garden State Parkway. You have been elbowing your way through endless crowds of crazed Moms knocking over other women and children to make sure that Bobby , Jr. gets that latest monogrammed cell phone cover or the newest “Rap Idol” game player. No,—- now your legs are cramping, your feet are killing you, you have to pee, its starting to snow and you know that even without traffic, you’re still more than a half an hour from home.

And then it happens.

That jackass in the BMW, jumping up in down in his seat to some horrible tune playing so loudly on his stereo that the windows are vibrating, is screeching up along side of you on the shoulder just as you are at the merge.

And he just keeps trying to inch in front of you like you’re not even there.

What are you gonna do? You keep looking at him but he is ignoring you. To him you don’t exist. You honk and he honks back as he keeps trying to inch in. You’re ready to shoot the guy, but you know you left your gun at home because you knew that at some point during this day, you would be too tempted to use it. You want to roll down the window and curse him at the top of your lungs, but the kids are in the backseat and you really don’t think it appropriate to be shouting out profanities over your radio that is playing Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer for the umteenth time. At least not in front of the kids.

You’d get out of the car but you know that as soon as you step out, the traffic will start moving and besides, the punk in the BMW may not have left his gun at home like you did.

Your screwed and all you can do is hope that this game of chicken doesn’t wind up denting your car. And since you’re in the ‘01 Chevy Cavaleir and he’s in the ‘09 BMW, you really don’t want to pay for the damage to his two door lease. So whatta ya do?

Well now there’s Plate Hate.

Just let that punk go. Let him get in front of you so that you can take his plate number down because when you get in the house, after you drop the dozen or so bags that you just went into hock for, and after you  run to the bathroom, go make yourself a nice cup of coffee and turn on the computer. Once it has loaded up and is ready to go, let your fingers fly across the keyboard as you type in http://platehate.eu/ .  Once there,  let the whole  world know about that jackass.

Plate Hate is a site where fellow victims of inconsiderate, reckless and plain old stupid drivers can register their rage in a safe and “slightly” more civilized way than actually demonstrating your physical rage on the face of that idiot that cut you off. Here you get to post their license plate number and describe the offenders actions. And you can do so by expressing all the contempt for the inconsiderate jerk, that you want.

The creators of the site write:

 The developers of Plate Hate are actually right. You never know who you’re dealing with and no one is worth having your holidays ruined for. But still there is always that need to get back at those fools who are driving while brushing their hair or putting on lipstick. You can never quite just totally let go of that schmuck who was doing 90 mph and zigzagging in and out of lanes and cutting off car after car.

That’s what makes Hate Plate so great. You no longer need to even deal with such unsavory persons as that. Just wait till you’re home and then let the world know just how much of an ass that inconsiderate driver you encountered really is.  A tour of Hate Plate will also make you feel less alone in the world. Looking at the comments of others will make you realize that you are not the only one confronting the most obnoxious drivers or those uniquely dangerous maneuvers and traffic violations that the cops are never around to see

There are all sorts of comments about infractions others have had to endure. For example :

7301BE  -Lexington, KY, US – Thu, 19th Nov 2009  – (0 comments)

“Park between the lines bitch!!”

or there was this;

GTT 6028  -  Zelienople, PA, US – Mon, 16th Nov 2009 –  (2 comments)

“Blows through stop sign almost hitting us. Then doesn’t like being flashed lights. Tough guy is going to shoot us.”

Then there’s this one from Texas.   We’ve all been behind this guy:

OLE MEX  – North Houston, US – Mon, 16th Nov 2009   -  (1 comment)

“The speed limit along Veterans Memorial is 45 mph, but this A** can’t seem to get it over 35. My time is being wasted and nobody has the fricken right to waste my time but me. Someone told me that illegal Mexicans don’t drive very fast because they don’t want to be pulled over. If that is the case then this dumb A** is on the most wanted list.”

According to the person behind Plate Hate ;

“being the cynical type who believes that any calls to a ‘how’s my driving’ hotline would be promptly answered by a spotty automaton, thought that maybe the perfect place to vent their rage would be on the Internet. Where people actually care*“. 

The meaning of the asterisk  is denoted as follows “* flame the opinions of others, relentlessly”.

Hate Plate was first created in the UK, but I for one am glad that someone brought it to the states.  After all, those guys in the the UK  are all messed up.  They legally drive on the wrong side of the road but here in America, it is not a habit we appreciate.  So having a place to blast those who do stuff like here, is a great relief.  

Look at Plate Hate as online holiday stress relief .  See it as an early Christmas present, one that will help you make it to Christmas Day, without having an anurism due to all the S.O.B.’s driving around you.  I for one fully expect to be  taking  advantage of Plate Hate this Thanksgiving when I suspect the site to be as busy as the roadways.

Oh……..By the way, if you are one of those drivers people like us hate and you find your plates on the site and wish to have them pulled off, the creators of Plate Hate have the following message……………

“Maybe you should be a little more considerate when you’re driving your vehicle?”

That’s a pretty good idea, especially during a time of the year when we’re suppose to be giving thanks and celebrating goodwill to all.

I think that almost everyone heard about this week’s glitch in the air traffic control system that caused hours of flight delays. Here’s are interesting quote from the governement’s GAO (FAA computer failure reflects growing burden on systems — Federal Computer Week):

“However, FAA faces several challenges in fulfilling NextGen’s objectives, including adjusting its culture and business practices, GAO concluded.”

Well, duh. Every mediocre or underperforming corpo borg needs to “adjust its culture and business practices”. It’s just that none of them have the competence to do it, regardless of how many titles and credentials that the corpocrats running the show adorn themselves and their sycophants with.

Embraer 175 da NWA Airlink (Foto: Airliners.net / Clique para ampliar)

A Administração da Aviação Federal (FAA, na sigla em inglês), o órgão que regulamenta a aviação nos Estados Unidos, determinou a substituição de um software de controle eletrônico de motor considerado suspeito em mais de 250 jatos regionais da companhia brasileira Embraer. Anunciada ontem, a decisão expande uma diretriz de segurança de julho de 2008 que se seguiu a incidentes ocorridos em voos. Na época, motores da General Electric em seis aviões Embraer 170 perderam propulsão ou passaram a não responder aos comandos dos pilotos.

O problema apareceu quando a GE tentava corrigir uma falha anterior no software, que afetava válvulas de controle do fluxo de combustível para os motores. Os incidentes levaram a inspeções e a diversos estudos de segurança, feitos pela GE, pela Embraer e por órgãos reguladores em todo o mundo.

Há oito meses, a GE disse que os problemas no motor do Embraer 170 não tinham voltado a aparecer desde o verão (no hemisfério norte) de 2008. A GE e a empresa brasileira voluntariamente instruíram as companhias aéreas a instalarem um conserto permanente. Até o segundo semestre deste ano, a GE disse que mais de 80% dos aviões que foram alvo dos mandados federais e dos boletins de segurança da fabricante haviam sido consertados.

No entanto, desde então a FAA já registrou outros 20 incidentes semelhantes de perda do controle do motor que afetaram jatos da Embraer, de acordo com o documento de segurança atualizado da agência. O software de controle de motor revisado deve ser instalado dentro de 600 horas de tempo de voo após a regra mais recente entrar em vigor, no fim de dezembro. As informações são da Dow Jones.

Fonte: Agência Estado

According to Carbon Control News (subscription required), “Industry officials say alternative jet fuels could play a central role in reducing aviation’s carbon footprint, but a new study commissioned by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) finds many of those fuels are actually worse for the climate than conventional petroleum, and that those which do produce fewer lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions “are costly and could potentially be counterproductive.”

On August 8, 2009, a light airplane collided with a helicopter carrying tourists near the Statue of Liberty. Both aircraft crashed, and nine people were killed. The catastrophe was witnessed firsthand by hundreds, if not thousands, of onlookers, and it became a major news story, much like the earlier fatal crash of Cory Lidle, which I wrote about for Popular Mechanics. In both cases, public alarm and outrage led to calls for flight rules to be tightened. City Councilwoman Gale Brewer, who represents the Upper West Side, went so far as to demand that tourist helicopters be banned from Manhattan.

The FAA said they would study the problem — and two days ago, they finally began implementing the new rules for the flight-seeing route over the Hudson River. The biggest change? Now, pilots passing through the area have to stay between 1,000 and 1,300 feet, and local traffic (such as tourist helicopters) have to stay below 1,000 feet.

At first glance, it seems like the FAA has responded to the public’s concerns by implementing a substantive initiative. But has anything really changed? As someone who loves flying over the river, and hopes to continue doing so, I have to say that the answer is no. And that’s a good thing.

First of all, what few non-pilots can appreciate is that these kinds of flight rules are virtually unenforceable. The whole point of the Hudson River corridor is that pilots are flying under their own recognizance. They’re not talking to a controller, so no one’s really paying much attention to what they’re doing. Even if someone were, the airplanes flying the corridor are not emitting unique transponder codes, so anyone looking at them on a radar screen wouldn’t be able to tell who’s who. So chances are good that when a pilot does do something wrong, they won’t get called on it. In practical terms, then, these new rules aren’t really rules at all, but guidelines to be followed on the honor system.

That sounds bad, but here’s the second key thing to remember: despite the incredibly high visibility of this one horribly crash, the flight corridor over the Hudson simply isn’t dangerous. Before this one awful midair, there hadn’t been a fatal collision in more than twenty years. To me, that says that the system in place worked.

And that’s why I”m happy that the FAA’s action was essentially ineffectual. Flying is one of the few areas in life that is not overburdened with rules and laws that try to protect us from ourselves. When you take to the air as the pilot of a light aircraft, you have to be aware that you are responsible for yourself, for your passengers, and the other people in the air around you. It’s an awesome responsibility, but responsibility is the essence of freedom. Once in a while, people will misuse that freedom, orjust  fall victim to bad luck, and tragedy will ensue. But the fear that bad outcomes are less than infinitely improbable should not justify ever more restrictive rules. Freedom is worth more than that.

I find myself in disagreement with the TSA (Transportation Safety Adminstration) who claims that they may or may not take some sort of legal action against me for transporting dangerous material in checked baggage on a Southwest Airlines jetliner. As far as I am concerned the TSA has stolen an estimated $500 worth of equipment in the name of airline safety without just cause. What the TSA has done is illegal and I am not guilty of any crime. The equipment removed by the TSA is not owned by me as it is owned by the company that I work for; so I am not out of any money. However, I have to explain to my employer how the TSA has removed $500 worth of equipment from my checked luggage.

As I wait to see if the TSA desires to send anything in writing concerning their removal of $500 worth of equipment without just cause; I have to explain the disappearance of $500 worth of equipment to my employer.

I discussed the matter with Southwest Airlines at Ontario International Airport and I was simply told that the TSA can remove whatever they desire from checked luggage and Southwest Airlines is not responsible for the actions of TSA. I am to discuss the matter with TSA.  So far TSA verbally has admitted removing the items from my checked luggage but doesn’t desire to admit it in writing until it has decided if TSA desires to take legal action against me or not.   If TSA decides not to take legal action against me then they refuse to admit anything in writing concerning the items removed from my checked luggage.

TSA told me that I was breaking the law concerning the item removed from my checked luggage. I checked FAA regulations concerning items illegal to have in checked luggage and per FAA regulations there was nothing illegal concerning the $500 worth of equipment removed from my checked luggage.

FAA regulations clearly state that it is illegal to transport a battery that can leak corrosive fluids on an airplane; but the batteries removed from my checked luggage were sealed gel cell type batteries that are so rugged that they do not leak any corrosive fluids. A laptop computer battery is as likely to cause safety issues to a jetliner as the batteries removed from my checked baggage.

So far my empolyer thinks it is funny that the TSA considered the batteries removed from my checked luggage to be a safety risk to a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 jetliner.

I checked with the manufacturer of these batteries and I was told that UPS, Federal Express, and the FAA have no issue with this battery being transported on a cargo jet or a commerical passenger jetliner.

I wait for laptop computers to be banned from passenger jets because it has a battery in it.   Better yet, I wait for cellular phones and iPods to be banned from passenger jets because it contains a battery.

_____________________________________

Nilsson Model 110
Rechargeable 12 Volt Battery Pack

• Much more economical than replacing lantern batteries
• Recharges Overnight – Cannot be Overcharged
  The battery can be recharged overnight by plugging into any 110 Volt AC outlet. It can also be recharged from a running 12 Volt vehicle system by using an automobile recharging cable. The self-contained, solid-state recharging circuit is so designed that the battery can be recharged hundreds of times and cannot be overcharged. A 110 Volt AC charging adapter is included.
• Specially Designed for Model 715 Pipe and Cable Locator and Models 825 and 830 Current Interrupters
  Nilsson Electrical Laboratory, Inc. has developed the Model 110, 12 volt rechargeable battery pack for use with the Nilsson Model 825 and 830 Current Interrupters. The Model 110 can also be used with any equipment requiring a 12 Volt DC power source.
• Fits in same Battery Clamp
  The battery will clamp directly in either the Model 715 Pipe and Cable Locator or the Models 825 and 830 Current Interrupters in the same space as the 12 Volt lantern battery normally supplied.
• Gelled Electrolyte Provides Higher Current Capacity
  Using the latest developments in rechargeable batteries, the Model 110 employs a gelled electrolyte in a sealed battery, providing much higher current capacity than other rechargeable batteries. The Model 110 can be used over a wide operating temperature range under rugged field conditions.
• User’s Manual
• Specifications:

I find myself in disagreement with the TSA (Transportation Safety Adminstration) who claims that they may or may not take some sort of legal action against me for transporting dangerous material in checked baggage on a Southwest Airlines jetliner. As far as I am concerned the TSA has stolen an estimated $500 worth of equipment in the name of airline safety without just cause. What the TSA has done is illegal and I am not guilty of any crime. The equipment removed by the TSA is not owned by me as it is owned by the company that I work for; so I am not out of any money. However, I have to explain to my employer how the TSA has removed $500 worth of equipment from my checked luggage.

As I wait to see if the TSA desires to send anything in writing concerning their removal of $500 worth of equipment without just cause; I have to explain the disappearance of $500 worth of equipment to my employer.

I discussed the matter with Southwest Airlines at Ontario International Airport and I was simply told that the TSA can remove whatever they desire from checked luggage and Southwest Airlines is not responsible for the actions of TSA. I am to discuss the matter with TSA.  So far TSA verbally has admitted removing the items from my checked luggage but doesn’t desire to admit it in writing until it has decided if TSA desires to take legal action against me or not.   If TSA decides not to take legal action against me then they refuse to admit anything in writing concerning the items removed from my checked luggage.

TSA told me that I was breaking the law concerning the item removed from my checked luggage. I checked FAA regulations concerning items illegal to have in checked luggage and per FAA regulations there was nothing illegal concerning the $500 worth of equipment removed from my checked luggage.

FAA regulations clearly state that it is illegal to transport a battery that can leak corrosive fluids on an airplane; but the batteries removed from my checked luggage were sealed gel cell type batteries that are so rugged that they do not leak any corrosive fluids. A laptop computer battery is as likely to cause safety issues to a jetliner as the batteries removed from my checked baggage.

So far my empolyer thinks it is funny that the TSA considered the batteries removed from my checked luggage to be a safety risk to a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 jetliner.

I checked with the manufacturer of these batteries and I was told that UPS, Federal Express, and the FAA have no issue with this battery being transported on a cargo jet or a commerical passenger jetliner.

I wait for laptop computers to be banned from passenger jets because it has a battery in it.   Better yet, I wait for cellular phones and iPods to be banned from passenger jets because it contains a battery.

Odds are it was a wacky King James Only Baptist working for TSA that banned those batteries from traveling on a Southwest Airlines jetliner. There should be a law against King James Only Baptist being hired by the government for any work?

Since TSA has  threatened to perhaps add me to their list of dangerous transporters of illegal FAA items watch list; I have started a blog to document my legal problems with TSA.

_____________________________________

Nilsson Model 110
Rechargeable 12 Volt Battery Pack

• Much more economical than replacing lantern batteries
• Recharges Overnight – Cannot be Overcharged
  The battery can be recharged overnight by plugging into any 110 Volt AC outlet. It can also be recharged from a running 12 Volt vehicle system by using an automobile recharging cable. The self-contained, solid-state recharging circuit is so designed that the battery can be recharged hundreds of times and cannot be overcharged. A 110 Volt AC charging adapter is included.
• Specially Designed for Model 715 Pipe and Cable Locator and Models 825 and 830 Current Interrupters
  Nilsson Electrical Laboratory, Inc. has developed the Model 110, 12 volt rechargeable battery pack for use with the Nilsson Model 825 and 830 Current Interrupters. The Model 110 can also be used with any equipment requiring a 12 Volt DC power source.
• Fits in same Battery Clamp
  The battery will clamp directly in either the Model 715 Pipe and Cable Locator or the Models 825 and 830 Current Interrupters in the same space as the 12 Volt lantern battery normally supplied.
• Gelled Electrolyte Provides Higher Current Capacity
  Using the latest developments in rechargeable batteries, the Model 110 employs a gelled electrolyte in a sealed battery, providing much higher current capacity than other rechargeable batteries. The Model 110 can be used over a wide operating temperature range under rugged field conditions.
• User’s Manual
• Specifications:

]]> http://thetechnotebook.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/a-router-fails-and-then-life-changed-forever/ Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:38:47 +0000 dewitte http://thetechnotebook.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/a-router-fails-and-then-life-changed-forever/

If you go to Google news today and type in the word “router” – you will see approximately 2,150 news articles and just about all of them have to do with the Federal Aviation Administration and the huge flight debacle that occurred yesterday.  It’s unlikely that you would not know about it by now, even if you are like me and rarely ever fly anywhere.   The story was on most network news programs and people all over are talking about it.

What hits home for me, however is that there is some guy in charge of that router.  His or her day probably started like any other day – coffee, breakfast whatever.  I guess in reality, it was probably a team of people – but still.  Just another day when people are thinking about weekend plans and the latest movie openings and suddenly all heck breaks loose.

If you think everything will go back to normal, it won’t.  It will never be “normal” again or should I say, the normal these people knew is now gone forever.  The long-term problem with any kind of failure like this is that once enough managers, and in this case probably politicians, get involved the day to day routines of anyone in that department will be scrutinized time and time again.   It’s not just a router – it’s ALL of the routers, all circuit boards, all computer systems.  Everyone has something to say about it from flight attendants to college professors.

Here is just one quote from an AP article printed in the Star Tribune:

“A good communications system should have enough redundancy that a failure shouldn’t hurt it that badly,” said Michael Ball, a University of Maryland professor who specializes in aviation operations research.

I’m not disagreeing with him or any other critic, I am only stating that whatever life the people in charge of that router had – is gone now.  Every day will be filled with questions, interrogations and requests to put together and follow all kinds of new checklists so that hopefully it won’t happen again.

Won’t happen again is a phrase people love to say in these situations.  “Let’s see that that doesn’t happen again” or “Let’s take steps to make sure this never gets to this point again”.  “Let’s” – that means “you”,  Mr. System administrator.

Has this ever happened to you?  Maybe you are a system administrator who oversees a small or medium-sized network for your organization.  You get paged because something has failed and even though you are able to turn the issue around quite quick and restore everything to working order – you still get called into someones office or boardroom and you have to:

(1) Explain the issue
(2) Explain how you fixed the issue
(3) Explain why the issue occurred
(4) Describe how you will never let this happen again
(5) (and this is the best) Defend every other machine, device, and program you or your department has ever touched, looked at, reviewed, purchased, or installed – because maybe, just MAYBE they are all ready to break as well.

And you get to do that every single day for the rest of your time there.

Excellent…

Yesterday (November 19), Both CFM and Chromalloy released statements concerning the June 30, 2009 in-flight failure of a CFM56-5A engine.  We found the CFM statement particularly disturbing, as it appeared to be using this event as a marketing opportunity, when the companies really should remain focused on finding the root cause of the accident.  The Chromalloy statement-in-response explained that “Chromalloy will continue to work with EASA, the FAA and other interested parties to
determine the root cause of failure with the engine.”

The incident was described in an EASA press release, and can be summarized as follows:

On 30 June 2009, a CFM56-5A engine experienced a stall during take-off.  Turn back was completed without further incident.  Borescope inspection revealed Low Pressure Turbine (LPT) damage, with several blades broken off.  The engine was fairly recently out of a shop visit with only 21 hours and 15 cycles since release from that shop visit. Disassembly revealed the LPT stage 1 disk had fractured.  The disk remained in one piece.  The disk displayed evidence that it had been subject to unusually high temperatures (over-heat condition), but the cause could not be identified by the preliminary examination.

The investigation of this engine failure is ongoing within both the EASA and FAA.

The engine was manufactured by CFM and repaired by Chromalloy.  So what is interesting about the Chromalloy and CFM releases?  Both of them have performed their own investigations of the parts in the engine, and found no anomolies in their own parts/services that could have caused the accident.  CFM vouches for its own parts but concludes that they cannot define the impact of the Chromalloy repairs and parts.  Chromalloy responds, explaining that they have verified the integrity of their own parts and repairs (including a review of air flow inspection records).  Chromalloy points out that some of the CFM statements seem counter-intuitive and recommends waiting for the investigation to be complete before starting to point fingers.

CFM makes reference to the “continued risk” associated with using non-CFM parts, without providing any data to show that there is such a risk (in fact they explicitly state that they have cannot define the impact of non-CFM components and repairs).  They suggest that operators re-evaluate the continued use of non-CFM parts; but it seems premature to start pointing fingers at Chromalloy, given these facts:

• CFM has not come up with a cause of the failure;
• Chromalloy has re-evaluated their parts and found no problems;
• the Chromalloy data was FAA-approved to the same regulatory standards as the CFM’s data); and
• the results of the government investigation are still not yet available.

Chromalloy notes in their statement that they have not been permitted an opportunity to review any data relating to the disk failure analysis nor the manufacturing history of the disk.   Chromalloy also notes that the Stage 1 LPT disk from the incident engine does have some significant history.  Based on this history, CFM’s call, for operators to independently reassure continuous airworthiness before the (independent) government analysis has been completed, seems incongruous.

Links to both companies statements are available:

CFM Statement

Chromalloy Statement

Glitch Snarls Air Traffic In Latest Woes For FAA

The problem began with the failure of a single small circuit board inside a router.  Read the full story at:  http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120566071

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) (Washington) late yesterday fixed its computer problems which caused major delay problems, especially at the world’s largest hub at Atlanta.

News link:

www.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/11/19/travel.glitch/?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=

feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+(RSS%3A+Top+Stories)